Cleaning a 4'' main from a 1.5'' c/o.

[PLUMBER RICK]

thanks to the k-60 and a 7/8'' reverse auger cutter.

the 7/8'' cable is very flexible and is also very springy.

i use my 12' long cut off c-10 cable with a 45 degree bend in the last 4''.

i also heated, straightened, sharpened, and then reheated, oil quenched the cable hook to re-temper the end.

the cable is an opposite wound pitch and requires the rotation to be reversed to allow the auger to grab.

by doing this, i can go through a 1.5'' cleanout opening and still get the cable to spring open in a 4'' pipe. the reverse auger grabs and funnels the roots into the cable.

knowing the distance allows me to concentrate the cleaning and scrape the walls of the pipe.

plenty of water running and concentrating at these points will give you very good results.

the one location i have a 3 invoice track record that shows 27 month intervals between each cleaning.

the other job last 1 year between cleanings and it too has a 5 year track record.

both jobs are under concrete footings.

you can't buy the reverse auger, but you can make your own

rick.

[HighlandS&D]

This is one of the most troublesome jobs we come across. A clean out or access point smaller than the line that needs cleaning. We can't get a full size cleaning tool in so this always creates a problem and requires more time using smaller tools to complete the job. Thanks Rick

Ricky

[plumberscrack]

Rick,

Does that 1-1/2" cleanout go right into a 4" pipe or are you making several turns to get it there?

ALL of our cleanouts here have to be full pipe size

If that cleanout was my only access to the main then a jetter would be my choice

I still think you are playing a numbers game

[JCsPlumbing]

Numbers game PC?

J.C.

[ToUtahNow]

Originally Posted by JCsPlumbing

Numbers game PC?

J.C.

Eventually he will get stuck and not be able to get his cable back.

Mark

[plumberscrack]

One day he's is going to hook something that won't come back through that 1-1/2" cleanout. For me, this risk is too great. It happened to me many years ago one time. Never again will I be so cocky.

Spent 2 days breaking floors and cutting walls trying to retrieve my cable that had a huge rootball on the end. My retriever drilled a hole right through it and poked out the other end. Couldn't shake it off.

Whenever Rick mentions this...I do this

[PLUMBER RICK]

bill, these jobs are all raised foundation homes. the 1.5'' transition into the 4'' in 10-11'. never been stuck with this method.

except the time i did a roof drain for my buddy steve sent me to an office complex with a plugged roof drain/ ac condensate.

who knew it was a 2'' line with a p trap

found that out when i cleared it with my 7/8'' cable and cutter. it cleared and i couldn't get the couplings back through the trap

took apart a fitting in the t-bar ceiling to get off my coupling and cutter.


when clearing a stoppage from a 1.5''-2'' line with my reverse auger, i go at it and pull back to clean it. i'll make several runs if i feel it tight. sort of like fishing, i day the fish is going to win, but so far, i don't let them win

another neat thing is the reverse auger can easily unscrew the load by putting the motor in a forward direction. so far so good and i've done dozens and dozens of undersized c/o this way. after breaking 4 factory auger cutters in 1 day. i made this one up and it's never broken.

bill, trust me we're both team geritol

rick.

[ToUtahNow]

The area Rick works is almost exclusively basements or crawl spaces for residential.

Mark

[plumberscrack]

I still trust you but I swear you must have plumbing fairies following you around, Rick.

You guys really have it so easy out there. I can't remember EVER having a cleanout access as easy as the one in that picture. You could have cleared that drain without even taking the snake off the truck.

Whenever I go big game fishing....the fish bite back

[ToUtahNow]

I think it has to do a lot with where you work. In my valley a home built in the 50s is a really old home. I imagine in other parts of the Country the home would hardly be broke-in yet.

Mark